


I'd Do It Again. And I'd Do It Again, And Again, And Again.

by justabitofdevineintervention



Series: Newsies One-Shots [1]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: AU where Katherine punches Jack instead of kissing him, Apologies, Bisexual Jack Kelly, Bisexual Male Character, Could Be Canon, First Kiss, Gay David Jacobs, Gay Male Character, Love Confessions, M/M, Missing Scene, post-rally apology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:56:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27074602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justabitofdevineintervention/pseuds/justabitofdevineintervention
Summary: The window is opened by Davey, and Jack feels his heart shatter in his chest. Davey’s eyes are raw and red, tear tracks gleaming down his face. He is broken, and he is destroyed.And Jack did this to him.“Oh, Davey,” Jack whispered. He began to reach his hand out to wipe the tears away, but stopped. This was not his place. Davey would not want that, not now.“What do you want?”---------------Jack apologises.
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly
Series: Newsies One-Shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1976281
Comments: 8
Kudos: 67





	I'd Do It Again. And I'd Do It Again, And Again, And Again.

Jack pauses. He’d been so sure of himself before, but now that he was actually here, outside Davey’s window, he’s not quite so certain. He takes a deep breath, steels his nerves, and knocks.

The window is opened by Davey, and Jack feels his heart shatter in his chest. Davey’s eyes are raw and red, tear tracks gleaming down his face. He is broken, and he is destroyed.

And Jack did this to him.

“Oh, Davey,” Jack whispered. He began to reach his hand out to wipe the tears away, but stopped. This was not his place. Davey would not want that, not now.

“What do you want?” And  _ oh  _ Jack feels his heart break all over again.

“To talk.” The words stick in Jack’s throat. “And to explain.”

Davey’s expression shuts down, an ice-cold mask of neutrality slipping over his face, and somehow that’s worse than before. “I don’t see what there is to explain. You’re a  _ traitor,  _ Jack.”

Davey’s right, of course. He is a traitor. He knows it. But he doesn’t regret it. He regrets hurting Davey, and Race, and Finch, and Specs and the others, but he doesn’t regret what he did.

“Please.” If it were any other day, Jack would hate how small his voice sounds. But it isn’t any other day, and he doesn’t. “Give me a chance.”

* * *

Davey doesn’t know why he climbed out onto the fire escape with Jack. The tiny part of him that still loves Jack, even after his betrayal, takes control of his body for a moment. Outside, Davey notices that Jack has a blossoming black eye.

“Is that from Spot?” He asks.

“Katherine.” Jack must have picked up on Davey’s confusion, so he added, “She punched me.”

Davey made a mental note to A) stay on Katherine’s good side, and B) ask her about that later. For now, he folded his arms and raised one eyebrow. “I was promised an explanation. Right now, I’m not getting one.”

There was a long moment of silence, broken only by Jack’s heavy breathing. He looked like he was trying not to cry.

_ Good,  _ Davey thought, viciously,  _ let him cry. _

“Pulitzer,” Jack said. His voice sounded strangled, and for a moment Davey wanted nothing more than to just wrap his arms around Jack and never let him go. Then he reminded himself of Jack’s betrayal, and the urge died.

“What about him?”

“He-” Jack took a deep breath. Davey felt his heart melt and decided ‘screw it’. He reached forward and tentatively took Jack’s hand in his.

“It’s okay,” he said. “Take your time.”

“I didn’t do it for the money, Davey,” Jack said. “I did it for you.”

Davey felt his heart rush into his throat. “What do you mean?”

“Pulitzer.” Jack’s expression became dark and dangerous, and slightly mournful. “He threatened you. And Crutchie, and Les, and the others but  _ you _ \- he threatened you by  _ name _ . He called you  _ Davey.  _ The name I gave you, back on that first day. He said that if I didn’t - if I didn’t say what I said - he’d throw you all in the Refuge.”

Davey’s breath caught. “Oh, Jack.”

“If it was just me, I wouldn’t have done it, but it was Crutchie, and Finch, and Romeo, and Les, and  _ you. _ And I couldn’t let him do that.”

Davey  _ almost  _ told Jack that he loved him right then and there, but he stopped himself. Instead, he said, “Do you have any idea how wrong that could have gone? He could have thrown you in the Refuge anyway - Jesus, Jack! What were you  _ thinking _ ?” 

“I was thinking,” Jack snapped, “That keeping you safe was worth the risk, and I stand by that choice even now.”

And this time Davey couldn’t stop himself, and the words came tumbling out of his mouth. “I love you.”   


* * *

_ I love you. _

Jack takes an involuntary step backwards out of shock.

“What?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No.” Jack realised he’d dropped Davey’s hand and quickly snatched it back up. “No, don’t be. I-” he swallowed. “I love you too.”

“Really?” Davey whispers.

“Really,” Jack confirms. He cups Davey’s cheek with one hand, gentle as can be. He leans in a little, and pauses, letting Davey now that the choice is his.

Davey kisses him.

Davey kisses him, and oh  _ God,  _ it’s everything Jack could have imagined. It’s just a soft peck on the lips, but Jack feels himself leave his body for the duration of that kiss.

They pulled back, and then just stood there, foreheads touching. An air of calm settled over them. Jack could have stayed that way forever, just the two of them, floating in their own perfect world.

“What do we do now?” Davey asks.

“I don’t know,” Jack admits. “But we’ll do it together.”


End file.
